How to create your personal sanctuary

View full sizeThinkstock.comCreating a sanctuary in the home does not require one to invest a lot of money, join groups, buy products or commit an enormous amount of time.Although most of the day may be filled with chaos, finding a peaceful sanctuary at home can be an easy way to restore serenity.
Sherry Chayat Roshi, abbot of the Zen Center in Syracuse, said creating a sanctuary in the home does not require one to invest a lot of money, join groups, buy products or commit an enormous amount of time.
"We're very much all about having a sanctuary in the home," she said. "Have a sacred space that you create."
1) That sacred space can be a corner of your bedroom, a closet that isn't cluttered or a small room that isn't used. Clear out the space as best you can. Put a cushion or a straight-back chair in the space -- use something that forces you to sit up straight, not a lounge chair, she said.
"I would recommend that less is more," she said. "Especially when you're just getting started."
2. Make a small altar.
"It doesn't matter what religion you are. You don't have to put Buddha on there," she said. "You can put a stone from a vacation, a candle, a dish of water. It's just a place to focus your attention."
Rocks, pottery or sentimental or religious artifacts all work well, she said. The item should, "remind you to pay attention to how sacred life is."
3. Turn off the noise.
Switch off the television, computer and stereo. If you have children, she said, make quiet time a daily event. Have a time of day when everyone spends 30 minutes being quiet, she said.
"It's wonderful for kids to know that this is something they can do, too," she said. "From 8:30 to 9 (p.m.), have 'quiet time.' You don't have to call it, 'meditation.' It's incredibly restorative to bring everything down to simplicity... Spend time together without talking or doing anything."
4. Sit up straight and focus on your breathing.
"Sit in silence and appreciate the beauty that is all around us. Have a place in your home just for that," she said.
Start by counting backwards from 10 in your head. Each time you get to one, go back to 10 and do it again. Every time your mind starts to wonder, catch yourself, return to the number one and resume counting. The purpose, she said, is to gain control of your mind and symbolically, return to be one with the universe.
"The feelings of being out of control get put into perspective and we have an inner feeling of comfort," she said.
5. Don't get discouraged.
At first, she said, your sanctuary at home will not feel like a sanctuary. It'll be hard to stay focused for 10 minutes.
"Your mind will be racing," she said. "You won't know where you are. But relax and don't blame yourself. Just go back to one. This focus really helps your health. It'll help you focus better at your job and at school. It'll help you become a better listener."
Over time, she said, work up to 30 minutes a day.
"It's less a matter of where you do it," she said. "I'm a huge advocate of creating a sanctuary space at home."